Kudankulam: One killed in firing; NCCI condemns police actions

The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) strongly condemned the "brutal attack" by police forces on people who were peacefully demonstrating against the commissioning of the Kudankulam nuclear plant in Tamil Nadu.

Close to 3,000 protesters, including children, women and aged persons from surrounding villages in Tirunelveli district were taking part in a protest near the plant site.

The police reportedly fired teargas shells and lathi-charged the protesters who were just half a kilometre from the controversial plant. Some tried to escape by running towards the sea.

Around 4,000 policemen have been deployed around the plant site.

"The shots being telecasted by the electronic media are indeed shocking, highlighting the way police exercise their armed power in lobbing tear gas bombs and resorting to lathi charges to chase away the protesters," NCCI said. "It is painful to watch helpless people fleeing through the sea waters.

NCCI demanded the state government to provide medical assistance to all the injured individuals along with reasonable compensation. It also demanded a judicial probe by a sitting High Court judge on the attack held this afternoon.

An umbrella body of the Protestant and Orthodox churches in India, NCCI said it has been repeatedly pleading with the governments to listen to the people and recognize their demands.

Officials had announced that enriched uranium fuel would be loaded in the first of the two nuclear reactors on Sep 11.

In August, the government's Atomic Energy Regulatory Board gave clearance for fuel to be loaded into one of the plant's two reactors.

Meanwhile, today's protests resulted in the death of one person who was killed in police firing.

"A mob of around 400 people protesting against the baton charging of fishermen protesting against the nuclear plant attacked a check post at Manapaddu village," a police official told IANS from Tuticorin district.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the family of the fisherman who was shot dead.

The People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) is currently spearheading the fight against the Rs. 17,120-crore project.

PMANE convener SP Udaykumar told reporters that the activists would withdraw the agitation if Chief Minister Jayalalithaa gave an assurance that the fuel-loading would be suspended.

Prohibitory orders are in place in a seven-kilometer radius from the plant.